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The income gap

Pioneer Press

Posted:
03/10/2014 12:01:00 AM CDT

Updated:
03/10/2014 04:30:21 PM CDT

The Pioneer Press editorial staff may have doubts about having the Legislature set a minimum wage ("Minimum wage: heed advice from those who actually pay wages," March 6), but what is indisputable is the relentless widening over the past 30 years of the income gap between the wealthy and everyone else. Wages have plateaued for most Americans while corporate bosses have pocketed the income from increases in worker productivity. Furthermore, statistics cited in the editorial do not tell the story of who these minimum wage workers are. That 70 percent to 80 percent of them are unmarried and part-time doesn't mean they aren't struggling to raise a child or haven't taken a second job to get by. The Legislature and governor have been doing a fine job catering to the desires of the well-heeled. Now it's time to show they understand the needs of those who can't afford to attend their fundraisers.

Tom Kelly, St. Paul

Smaller Legislature, bigger savings

Minnesota has the largest legislative body in the Midwest, with 201 members, compared with the national average for all states' legislative bodies of 148 members. Rather than a new multimillion-dollar office building and parking ramp to house 44 legislators, let's reduce the "over-crowded" Legislature by 44 members. That will leave us with 157 members, nine more than the national average, and no need for a new legislative building.

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And then use those multimillion dollars for construction projects that directly benefit the citizens at large, rather than the 201 legislators.

John Scanlan, West St. Paul

Pilot shortage

Over the airplane's intercom came the announcement, "There will be a slight delay in arrival due to high winds. Landings are being spaced out" ("GAO report: Too few pilots or too little pay?" Feb. 28).

I turned to nearby passengers and asked, "How many feel pilots should be paid more than professional football players?" We all did.

Linc Duncanson, Dresser, Wis.

The love of money

Caryn Sullivan's column "Believing in one's worth" (March 7) contains an unfortunate error that has been perpetuated for far too long. She refers to "Sunday sermons" heard by Tai Goodwin denouncing "money and the root of all evil." Caryn misses the point of the scripture reference "For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil" (1 Timothy 6:10).

Money in itself is nowhere denounced as evil or the root of all evil in the Bible. Ecclesiastes speaks on the futility of the adoration of cash (5:10), and Christ himself warns against "serving money as your master" (Matthew 6:24), but money is not the root of all evil, the love of money is. In fact, Jesus lauds proper stewardship on several occasions (e.g., the parable of the talents). It is a shame if Tai Goodwin's preacher misled her in this regard ... it is more unfortunate that Caryn Sullivan repeated the false statement in her closing further perpetuating this myth.